Glassware Lifestyle I S N E R M Ä R TA T H : P H OTO G R A P H Y Cracking form The art of glassmaking came to Sweden in the 1500s under the rule of King Gustav Vasa who replaced wooden cups with elegant glass drinkware at the Three Crowns castle in Stockholm. A century later, about 300km away from the capital in the Swedish province of Småland, an area now widely known as the Kingdom of Glass and Crystal, began producing some of the country’s most notable glassworks, from a region rich in bog iron ore. It is here that glassmaking company Kosta Boda has been producing beautiful and innovative glass art since 1742. Today, the Swedish firm adds a contemporary twist to time-honoured Swedish craft, and its latest collaboration with visual artist Åsa Jungnelius, is no different. Breathing new energy into glassware by blending art, design and sculpture, Crackle Circular is a series of three vases and one bowl produced using upcycled waste glass. Mouthblown in Kosta, the collection is a tribute to cracks, and beautifully preserved in glass. To produce the unique finish, the cracked surface is formed using an old craft technique that sees hot glass dipped into ice-cold water. Crackle Circular forms part of Kosta Boda’s circular glass initiative, as the company continues to use excess waste glass from other production at its factory. The waste glass is first sorted by colour tone before being reintroduced into the production of new items. Thanks to the colour sorting and the small bubbles that occur in recycled glass, each product features a unique colour and surface, producing a series of iconic and one-of-a-kind goods. kostaboda.com Autumn 2023 LEFT Crackle Circular vases are dipped in ice-cold water to produce the cracked surface ABOVE Artist Åsa Jungnelius is bringing her unique vision to traditional Swedish glassware 31